Exclusive Interview with Somaliland Foreign minister for state building and struggle for recognition

Somaliland is a self-declared republic in the Horn of Africa. It broke away from Somalia on May 18, 1991 after Somalia’s civil war.

On his visit to the country for a special documentary, Rudaw’s Ayub Nuri conducted an interview with Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Saad Ali Shire who says that his country deserves international recognition as it is their right and also as appreciation for the stability and democracy they have achieved in the last 26 years.

Foreign Minister Shire says it is wrong to blame Somaliland for the breakup of Somalia as Somaliland only took back an independence they once had before voluntarily joining Somalia in 1960. He and the majority of people in Somaliland cite crimes carried out against them by the former Somali regime in the 1980s as the reason for their separation and declaration of independence. Somalilanders have been building a country without outside help for a quarter century, but they remain hopeful that the world will one day acknowledge them and give them the recognition they deserve. If they have international recognition, they argue, they will be able to sign international agreements, trade deals and borrow money for public service projects.

Most recently they have signed deals with the UAE for the expansion of the Berbera port, a 250KM road to the Ethiopian border and the establishment of a UAE military base.

They hope this will be followed by the arrival of more countries in Somaliland for investment and ultimate official recognition.

by Jillian Kestler-D'Amours
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